[Question #12466] Oral HPV
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7 months ago
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I am 25F and I have been dealing with what I thought was just strep throat, but now suspect may also be related to an oral HPV infection. I have had 1 sexual partner in my life, and the most sexual contact I’ve had in the last year has been kissing.
I have what my ENT believes to be a papilloma on one of my tonsils. I will be undergoing a tonsillectomy and biopsy soon. Assuming this is HPV related, these are my questions:
1. How concerned should I be about transmitting this through deep kissing or oral sex? Is it likely for my oral infection cause a genital infection in a partner?
2. I know there’s no way to know for sure, but could I really have contracted this from kissing alone?
3. I have had swollen tonsils/lymph nodes and exhaustion for about a month. Could oral HPV cause those sx?
I am very bummed about all this. Any help is appreciated.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
7 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your questions. These questions are really questions for your ENT and some ultimately are questions that will have to involve him/her. Not all oral papillomas are due to HPV and of those caused by HPV, not all are due to strains that cause genital infections (there are over 100 different types of HPV, less than half cause genital infections. Several additional questions for you- have you had the HPV vaccine? It prevents well over 95% of the genital HPV infection types that can cause oral infection. Also, have you ever performed oral sex (i.e. put his penis in your mouth) since if you have not, it is even more unlikely that your oral papillomatosis is due to a genital HPV strain. Kissing is not recognized as an important route of HPV transmission
Finally, I should point out that most oral HPV infections do NOT cause symptoms
In response to your specific questions:
1. How concerned should I be about transmitting this through deep kissing or oral sex? Is it likely for my oral infection cause a genital infection in a partner?
See my comments above. Deep kissing is not a major route of HPV transmission
2. I know there’s no way to know for sure, but could I really have contracted this from kissing alone?
Unlikely
3. I have had swollen tonsils/lymph nodes and exhaustion for about a month. Could oral HPV cause those sx?
Again, most unlikely
When your papilloma is removed, the ENT can have it tested for HPV but needs to request that test. I suggest that you do that. EWH
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